You want to
create a character readers can feel empathy for, or some kind of admiration and
connection. But it’s important to recognize that your
hero (and heroine) must have flaws, too. They have strengths, weaknesses, and
needs they often don’t acknowledge that sometimes get them
in trouble. They might not even be aware of these traits at all. When they act
a certain way, they’ll give a reason they believe, but
often it’s not the real reason. That reason could be a deep-rooted
fear, pain from the past, or any number of things.When developing characters with depth, decide
on what their flaws and character traits are, then have them have to face these
at points in the story when their needs aren’t being fulfilled.

2.Characters with no conflict

Just as a story
without conflict isn’t very interesting, characters without
internal conflict aren’t particularly interesting
either.A story isn’t
going to be particularly compelling if a character doesn’t have a particular
goal that’s hard to accomplish. Also boring if they get pretty much
everything they want in the story without sometimes being worried about whether
or not they’re going to get it. You don’t want them going
through scene after scene feeling pretty happy and content, without conflicted
feelings from wanting two things at the same time that are mutually exclusive.
That’s conflict, and that’s what keeps readers turning the
pages.

3.Antagonists that are
two dimensional

There are a lot
of books (and movies) out there with antagonists who come across as pretty
cartoonish. They’re bad just because they are, or we
never really know why they want to rob that bank or keep the hero from getting
what he wants.Put as much time into
exploring your antagonists as your heroes. Know who they are, and not only what
they want, but why they want it. The character shouldn’tview himself as a villain, but as a person
who’s doing what he has to do. When the reader understands who
the antagonist really is and why they’re a formidable foe, it makes the hero
seem a lot more heroic having to deal with him or her.

4. Characters that don’t change

If a character
is the same person at the end of the book as they are at the beginning, you
haven’t created a satisfying journey for them. Show at the
beginning who they are in their everyday life. Then make them deal with
obstacles and problems that force them to face their flaws and preconceived
attitudes about what they want, and why.By the end of the book, they should have done something they never
thought they’d do and come out a better person for it.

5. Having characters that all seem too similar

We all have our
own voice, and it takes an effort to make sure our characters don’t
all talk like us, walk like us, act like us.If you’re struggling with this, a good exercise is to go sit in a
coffee shop and eavesdrop.Listen to
women, men and children talk. Watch people coming and going, how they sit in
their chairs, etc. Make notes about how they differ from one another, and how
some stand out. Also think about friends and relatives, or actors and actresses
you like, and study how they sound and move. Getting those visuals and voices
in our heads as we write can really help differentiate one character from
another, and enrich your story.

Her Greek Doctor's Proposal

The question he thought he'd never ask…

Archaeologist
Laurel Evans put her career on hold to care for her younger sisters.
Now, close to achieving her goals, she won't let anything
distract her. Laurel has come to Delphi to dig up ancient treasures, but
she finds a modern-day Greek god instead—local doctor Andros
Drakoulias!

A devoted single dad, Andros is determined to give
his little girl stability. He knows his fling with Laurel can't last, so
why is it so hard to imagine a future without her by his side?

Thanks, Launna! Characters without real depth are the biggest reason a story falls flat, in my opinion, and often the reason I stop reading a book, too. It's not easy to accomplish that as we're writing, but so important. :-)